We now move beyond the issue of description to explore the topic of explanation. For social scientists, this means focusing on causation. For example, if we pose the following question, “How do we account for the fact that ‘Hell happens…?” we are automatically compelled to consider possible causes. Since one or more
causes are conceivable options, we have to make a choice about better or worse explanations.
This bring up a second issue.
How do issues of cause and effect become muddied as a result of different understandings of a topic like Hell? If I believe Hell means one thing and you believe it means something quite different, we may identify different causes. As we move along in this seminar, we will see that these issues have important implications for our actions.
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TORTURE: “THE DEVIL’S DEED
11. Tuesday, February 18
In this and our following meeting, we will use the example of torture to explore an old question: “Why do (presumably) good people do (clearly) bad things? This is an issue of explanation.
Today, we will revisit the horrors of the 2004 Abu Ghraib torture and abuse scandal by watching the acclaimed HBO documentary: “Ghosts of Abu Ghraib” HERE (We will watch this film in class; you do not need to watch it beforehand)
Review this timeline in preparation for the film: READ
12. Thursday, February 20
Discussion:
How can we explain the massive human rights violations at Abu Ghraib. In addition to discussing “Ghosts of Abu Ghraib,” we will also consider the following arguments, the first three implicit and the fourth explicit (about Nazi genocide):
The DOD Schlesinger Report, Executive Summary, pp. 10-19: PRINT AND READ
Excerpts from the Schlesinger report: PRINT AND READ
Who was punished? READ
UN Convention against Torture, Articles 1-4 READ
Geneva Convention, Part II: READ
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TECHNODYSTOPIA: “A HELL OF OUR OWN MAKING”
13. Tuesday, February 25
Discussion:
Dave Eggers, The Circle: Read up ro 253.
Google “R” Us: “Mission Statement” PRINT AND READ (Google’s slogan used to be ‘Don’t be Evil.’ Now, it is something different.
Disneyland “R” Us: SKIM THIS ARTICLE TO GET THE BASIC IDEA
Facebook “R” US: READ AND PRINT
Lee Gardner, “Students under Surveillance” READ
14. Thursday, February 27
Discussion:
Dave Eggers, The Circle: Finish the book.
Robert Tracinski, “‘Don’t Be Evil’? Google Is Becoming A Police State” PRINT AND READ
Nicholas Confessore and Cecilia Kang, “Facebook Data Scandals Stoke Criticism That a Privacy Watchdog Too Rarely Bites” PRINT AND READ
TED talk with Yuval Noah Herari WATCH (optional )
Nellie Bowles, “Tech C.E.O.s Are in Love With Their Principal Doomsayer” READ
OMG: Please leave your technology at home. This includes electronic devices of any kind, such as laptops, i-Pads, i-Pads2, I-Phones 12, FBI trap-and-trace tools, Kindles, video cameras, or other personal digital devices.